Thermostatic valve and vapor-tube.



No. 667,227. Patented Feb. 5, IBM.

.A. .xn'son. I THEBMOSTATiG VALVE AND VAPOR TUB-E.

' (Application filed Feb. 15, 1900. (No Model.) 2 Shae'ta-Shaet g.

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No. 667,227. Patented Feb; 5, I901. 'A..K|TSON; THERMOSTATIC VALVE AND VAPOR TUBE. (Applies Mon filed Feb. 15, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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'NITED STATES PATENT FFI ARTHUR KITSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE KITSON HYDROOABBON HEATING AND IN OANDESOENT LIGHTING COM- PANY, OF SAME PLACE AND CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

THERMOSTATIC VALVE AND VAPOR-TUBE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,227, dated February 5, 1901.

' Application filed February 15, 1900. serial No. 5.304. \No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: latter is shown partly in section; and Fig. 2

Be it known that I, ARTHUR KITSON, a subis a detail sectional view of the vaporizingject of the Queen of Great Britain,and a resitube, the casing and upper end of the mixdent of Philadelphia, (Germantowm) county ing-tube being indicated therein in dotted 5 of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have lines. 55

invented certain new and useful Improve- The lamp illustrated in the drawings is a ments in Thermostatic Valves and Vaporform well known and nowin general use, and Tubes, of which the following is a specificait is not therefore deemed necessary to detion. I scribe the same in detail. Generally the lamp My invention relates generally to vaporconsists of a burner 20, having a mantle 21 6o burning apparatus, and more specifically consuitably supported above the same and supsists of an automatic valve constructed and plied with a mixture of air and vapor by way located to operate thermostatically in admitof a tube 22. The burner and mantle are ting, regulating, and cutting 06 the supply preferably inclosed by a hemispherical globe of oil to the vaporizing-chamber of the appahinged to the lamp-casing, and from this cas- 65 ratus. ing a chimney 19 rises to provide escape for In the various forms of apparatus burning the products of combustion. Alined openthe vapor of a fluid hydrocarbon supplied ings are provided in the chimney and upper under pressure considerable difficulty has end of the mixing-tube for the insertionof 20 been experienced in thermostatically regulatthe vaporizing-tube, which latter lies trans- 7o ing the admission, supply, and out 01f of oil versely across the chimney and within the to the vaporizing-chamber. Such difficulty heating zone of the burner. arises mainly from the failure of the thermo- The vaporizing tube or chamber 1 is constat to maintain the inlet closed until the nected to the oil-supplytpipe 3 by means of temperature of the chamber has been raised a threaded union 2 in the well-known way. to the vaporizing-point, which results in fiood- The pipe 3, leading from a source of oil-suping the chamber, clogging the vapor-outlet, ply, is controlled by any suitable form of or discharging the oil upon the furniture or valve 4 which is capable of accurate adjustcontents of the room in which the lamp is bement to prevent the discharge of oil under 0 ing operated, (to. pressure or to permit the flow of the same in It is the object of my invention, therefore, requisite quantities. to obviate the objections above mentioned The end of the vaporizing-tube at which through the employment of a thermostatic the oil is admitted is preferably made in the valve normally closed at atmospheric temform of a casting 5, having a tapering valve- 5 perature to cut 0E all flow of oil and which seat formed therein for the correspondinglyopens to admit oil to the vaporizing-chamber tapered cone-valve 6 and a central bore 7, exonly when the temperature of the same has tending from the valve-seat throughout its been raised to the point of vaporization or length, of a diameter slightly in excess of the nearly to said point. valve-stem 8, so that when the valve is open 40 The preferred form of apparatus embodythe oil will be admitted to the tube in the ing my invention is illustrated in the accomform of a thin film. panying two sheets of drawings, throughout Within the body of the vaporizing-tube,and the views of which like characters refer to like preferably concentric with the axis thereof, a parts. rod or filler 9 is mounted to have a limited 45 In the drawings, Figure l is a view in elemovement under the influence of aspring 10. 5 vation of a well-known form of vapor-burn- This rod is integral with and forms a contining lamp, showing my invention applied uation of the valve 6 and is centered with rethereto, the casing of the lamp being broken lation to the tube by the valve and stem at away to more clearly illustrate the relative one end in the casting 5 and at the opposite 5o arrangement of the vaporizing-tube, which end by a hollow plug 11, through which the .of its spring.

valve-rod extends loosely. The plug 11 is threaded into and shouldered to close the open end of the vaporizing-tube and is also provided exteriorly with an additional thread throughout its larger diameter for engagement with a cap 12. This cap serves to inelose the projecting end of the valve-rod and is socketed at 13 and shouldered at 14 to allow for the play of the rod and provide a bearing for the spring 10, which encircles that portion of the valve-rod within the cap.

A nut 15, threaded upon the valve-rod, provides a shoulder against which the opposite end of the spring abuts and at'the same time, in cooperation with outer end of the plug 11, serves as an adjustable stop for limiting the movement of the valve-rod under the action This spring is preferably made of self-tempering steel, such being the name of a species of steel on the market which when cooling down after heating regains the temper which it has lost while be ing raised to high temperature, and thereby remains unalfeeted by the heat generated in operation of the lamp.

16 represents the vapor-discharge opening in the lower side of the tube, and 17 the upper end of the mixing-tube, which is relatively arranged to receive the jet of vapor as indicated.

18 represents gauzes which may be inserted in the vaporizing-tube and arranged concentrically about the valve-rod.

As shown, the main portion of the thermostatic valve and its rod lie within the casing in position to be surrounded by the hot gases, &c., in their escape from the burner to the chimney. It will also be seen that the valvespring and its containing compartment will lie outside of the casing in an exposed position and under the cooling action of the air at atmospheric temperature will be more or less protected fromthe heat generated by the burner. This arrangement also serves to facilitate adjustment or examination of the Valve, in that the latter is at once accessible on removing the inclosing cap at the outer end of the tube.

The mode of operation of my invention is as follows: On inserting the vaporizing-tube in the lamp or other vapor-burning apparatus the nut is adjusted upon the rod to seat the valve under the tension of its spring, and all access of oil to the vaporizing-chamber is thereby prevented. Thus adjusted there will be more or less clearance between the nut and the outer end of the screw-plugll to allow for a limited follow-up movement of the valve under the influence of the spring as the seat is thermostatically moved by the longitudinalexpansion of the vapor-tube. It should be understood that the right-hand end of the vapor-tube is held practically stationary in its relation to the mixing-tube 17 in order that the jet of vapor from the discharge-opening 16 may be always centered accurately with respect to the mouth of the mixingtube. The right-hand end of the tube being thus held rigidly, the left-hand end, consisting of the casting 5, in which the valve-seat is formed, will move farther to the left when the tube is heated and returned toward the right hand when the tube contracts on cooling down. When the preheating of the vaporizing-tube by the flame. of a torch or a Bunsen burner is brought about in any one of the well-known ways for the purpose of starting the lamp into operation,the tube 1 will expand faster than the rod 9, owing to the direct contact with the heating agent, and will thereby tend to carry the valve-seat away from the valve and permit oil to pass at once into the vaporizing tube or chamber. As the premature admission of oil would tend to flood and clog the vapor-outlet, the valve is caused to remain seated by the follow-up movement toward the left hand imparted to it by the spring and is thus relatively maintained until checked by the nut bringing up against the end of the screw-plug, when, the seat being free, it is carried away from and clears the valve by the continued expansion of the vapor-tube and the oil under pressure passes into the vaporizing-chamber, where it is converted into vapor and issues from the orifice 16 in the form of a jet. The vapor thus formed is burned in the vapor-burner in the well-known way, and the heat of the burner maintains the tube 1 at the necessary temperature for continued vaporization of the oil. As long as this temperature is maintained the valve will remain open, and owing to the presence of the vapor within the tube the temperature of the valve-rod will be prevented from rising to a degree to cause sufficientexpansion thereof to close the valve. If, however, the lamp goes out for any reason Whatever, the vaporizing-tube will cool down rapidly by being exposed to the current of cold air passing through the lamp and will contract with greater rapidity than the rod, thereby returning the seat toward the right hand toward the valve and closing the same to prevent furtherentrance of oil. The tube in cooling down first seats the valve and closes the inlet to prevent further entrance of oil. Continued contraction of the tube then tends to move the valve thus seated in opposition to its spring, brings the same under the tension thereof, and establishes the requisite clearance between the adjustable stop and the screw-plug.

Some of the main advantages of my invention lie in the saving of oil by preventing waste thereof through defective valve mechanism; further, in regulating the admission of oil to prevent flooding of the vaporizingchamber and clogging of the vapor-outlet; further, in effecting a slow or retarded opening and a quick closing of the inlet-valve through the positive action of a spring; further, in the applicability of the mechanism to vapor-tubes now in general use without material change or alteration in the construction or form of the same, and, finally, in the ready adjustability of the device, 850.

Itis evident, of course, that various changes could be made in the details of construction illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention so long as the principle of operation described in the specification or the general relative arrangement of parts illustrated in the drawings is preserved. Other forms of thermostat might be employed and different forms of valve might be substituted. The thermostat might be differently located so long as it is within the heating zone of the lamp-burner and of the preheating device.

Having therefore described my invention,

I claim 1. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus of a metallic vaporizing-chamber provided with requisite inlets and outlets, a valve mounted in the inlet, means whereby the expansion of the metal of the vaporizingchamber shall open the valve, and a spring which tends to hold the valve to its seat.

2. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a metallic vaporizing-chamber provided with requisite inlets and outlets, a valve mounted in the inlet, means whereby a predetermined degree of expansion of the metal of the vaporizing-chamber shall open the valve, and a spring which tends to hold the valve to its seat until such predetermined degree of expansion has occurred.

3. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus of a vaporizing-chain her, a valve controlling the inlet to'said chamber, a spring holding said valve against its seat, and cooperating shoulders on the valve-rod and on the vaporizing-tube, which shoulders are separated while the vaporizing-tube is below the temperature necessary to vaporize oil, but which shoulders are so located that the expansion of parts when raised to the temperature of vaporized oil will bring said shoulders into contact to open the valve.

4. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-chamber provided with requisite inlets and outlets, a valve seated in the inlet, said valve and its seat being thermostatically separable and movable in the same direction under expansion or contraction at different rates of speed, and a spring for imparting a follow-up movement to the valve to prevent premature opening of the inlet.

5. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-chamber provided with requisite inlets and outlets, a valve seated in the inlet, said valve and its seat being thermostatically separable, a spring for imparting a follow-up movement to the valve to prevent premature opening of the inlet and a stop limiting such follow-up movement.

6. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-chamber provided with requisite inlets and outlets, a valve seated in the inlet, said valve and its seat being thermostatically separable, a spring for imparting a follow-up movement to the valve to prevent premature opening of the inlet and an adjustable stop limiting such follow-up movement.

7. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-chamber provided with an inlet-valve seat thermostatically controlled in its position with relation to the valve and a spring-seated valve having a limitedfollow-up movement to prevent premature opening of the inlet.

8. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus,of a vaporizing-chamber, provided with an inlet-valve seat thermostatically controlled in its position with relation to the valve, a valve closed while the parts are cold and a spring for imparting a follow-up movement to the valve to prevent premature opening of the inlet.

9. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-chamber provided with an inlet-valve seat thermostatically con trolled in its position with relation to the valve, a valve closed while the parts are cold,

a spring for imparting a follow-up movement to the valve and a stop for limiting such movement.

10. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-chamber provided with requisite inlets and outlets, a springactuated valve controlling the inlet, a valveseat therefor thermostatically movable with relation to the valve and having suflicient movement during the contraction of the vaporizing-chamber to bring the valve under the tension of its spring.

11. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-chamber provided with requisite inlets and outlets, a springactuated valve having a limited movement, a valve-seat thermostatically movable toward and away from the valve and having a movement in one direction in excess of that of the valve to effect a separation and opening of the inlet.

12. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-tube, a valve controlling the oil-inlet at one end of the tube, said valve and its seat being thermostatically separable, a spring for advancing the valve in the direction of the valve-seat, said spring being operatively mounted Within a removable section of the tube, as specified.

13. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus and its casing, of a vaporizingtube, a valve controlling the oil-inlet atone end of the tube, said valve and its seat being thermostatically separable, a spring for advancing the valve in the direction 'of the valve -seat, said spring being operatively mounted within a section of the tube exterior to the casing of the apparatus.

14. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus and its casing, of a vaporizingtube, a valve controlling the oil-inlet at one end of the tube, said valve and its seat being thermostatically separable, a spring for advancing the valve in the direction of the valve seat, said spring being operatively mounted within a removable section of the tube exterior to the casing of the apparatus.

15. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-tube,a valve controlling the oil-inlet at one end of the tube, said valve and its seat being thermostatically separable, a spring for advancing the valve in the direction of the valve-seat, said spring being operatively mounted within a compartment of the tube, separated from the vaporizing-chamber thereof.

16. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-tube, a valve controlling the oilinlet at one end of the tube, said valve and its seat being therm ostatically separable, a spring for advancing the valve in the direction of the valve-seat, said spring being operatively mounted outside of the vaporizing-chamber and a removable cap inclosing the spring.

17. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-tube, a valve controlling the oil-inlet at one end of the tube, said valve and its seat being thermostatically separable, a spring for advancing the valve in the direction of the valve-seat, said spring encircling a portion of the Valve-rod lying within a compartment of the tube separated from the vaporizing-chamber thereof.

18. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-tube, a valve controlling the oil-inlet at one end of the tube, said valve and its seat being thermostatically separable, a spring for advancing the valve in the direction of the valve-seat, said spring encircling a threaded portion of the valverod lying within a compartment of the tube separated from the vaporizing-cha mber thereof, and a nut adjustable upon the threaded valve-rod and serving as a .stop in limiting the action of the spring.

19. The com bination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-tube, a valve controlling the oil-inlet at one end of the tube, said valve and its seat being thermostatically separable, a spring for advancing the valve in the direction of the valve-seat, said spring encircling a threaded portion of the valverod lying within a compartment of the tube separated from the vaporizing-chamber thereof, and a nut adjustable upon the threaded valve-rod and cooperating with the end Wall of the compartment in serving as a stop to limit the action of the spring.

20. The combination with a vapor-burning apparatus, of a vaporizing-tube, a valve controlling the oil-inlet at one end of the tube, said valve and its seat being thermostatically separable, a spring for advancing the valve in the direction ofthe valve-seat, said spring encircling a threaded portion of the valverod lying within a compartment of the tube separated from the vaporizing-chamber thereof, and a nut adjustable upon the threaded valve-rod and coiiperating with the end wall of the compartment in serving as a stop to limit the action of the spring, and a removable cap constituting the inclosing casing of the springcontaining compartment.

Signed by me at New York, N. Y, this 8th.

day of February, 1900.

ARTHUR KITSON. Witnesses:

W. H. PUMPHREY, PHILIP HAYES. 

